Future Times
by Myuu-Foxgirl
Summary: just a little ficcy 'bout Ranma and Akane.. I dunno 'bout the timeline.. XD R&R, please! oh, an' if anyone thinks I own Ranma 12, they're dreaming!


what to write, what to write.. well.. I hope this turns out ok.. I think it's gonna be a Ranma oneshot..  
  
**Future Times** (yea, crappy title, I know)  
  
Akane looked around the room as she finished stuffing one last shirt into the backpack sitting on her bed. _Letter written, check. Clothes packed, check. Daddy and Mr. Saotome distracted.._ She cocked her head, listening to the noises coming from the living room below, and smirked. _Check. I guess we're all set to go._ She slung the backpack over her shoulder, and turned to the window, opening it. She stuck one leg out, then slowly eased the other one out. She almost lost her balance, but Ranma steadied her.  
  
"Careful, tomboy," Ranma chided softly, hands resting on Akane's hips. "Don't want ya ta fall or nothin'."  
  
"Course not, Ranma," Akane smiled. "You know, you have the oddest way of showing that you care."  
  
"Blame it on Pop," Ranma answered. "He never taught me how ta show my soft side or nothin' like that."  
  
"You do a pretty good job, considering." Akane smiled at him. _Yeah, considering all the stuff Mr. Saotome did to him, it's surprising my Ranma's still sane, let alone able to care about anyone. I'm one lucky girl.  
_  
"Come on. Shampoo said that the boat was gonna leave early in the mornin'." Ranma scooped Akane up in his arms, and leaped to the ground, then the outer walls of the dojo, where he paused a moment, turning back to face the house. He and Akane raised a hand each, a farewell to the house where so many memories were, and the moonlight glinted momentarily off of the silver bands on a finger of the upraised hands. On the porch, Nabiki and Kasumi waved back, knowing that Soun and Genma were too far gone into their sake and schemes to notice. Ranma and Akane turned, and lept out into the night, heading for Yokohama.  
  
'Round about dawn, they arrived at the port, the modest sized boat that Cologne had hired just about ready to set out. Even as it was pulling away from the dock, Ranma swept a sleepy Akane into his arms, and took a running jump, landing on the deck and scaring the hell out of a couple of the sailors. He stood up, still holding Akane, and yawned as Shampoo came running up to him.  
  
"Ranma almost miss boat!" Shampoo said, tugging him towards the stairs leading down into the ship's cabins. "You probably too too tired, want sleep, no?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks, Shampoo," Ranma said, yawning again. He followed Shampoo down the stairs and towards a door, where the purple haired Amazon stopped.  
  
"Ranma and Akane have this room. Is most comfortable one on ship." Shampoo opened the door, and Ranma went inside, thanking her with a nod. He set Akane down on the bed as Shampoo closed the door, then curled up next to his wife.  
  
  
  
Back at the Tendo dojo, Soun was waking up from his drunken sleep. He blinked groggily, and sat up, holding his head. A scrap of whiteness fluttered down to his lap, and he looked at it dumbly for a moment, then picked it up. "What's this?" he asked himself, turning it over to see if there was a name on it anywhere.  
  
"It's from Akane, Daddy," Nabiki said, sipping her tea. "Why don't you read it?"  
  
"I suppose that would be a good idea.." Soun said slowly, opening the folded letter. He skimmed the contents, the waterworks coming into play as he did so, then went back to read it slowly.  
  
_Dear Father,  
  
Since you're reading this, I suppose you should know that I've run away. Left Japan, as a matter of fact. If you're curious, no, I'm not alone. Ranma's with me. I don't know when we'll be back, but I **can** tell you that if you try to follow us, you'll be in a world of hurt. I don't like threatening you, but sometimes, that seems to be the only thing that gets through your head. I'm sorry.  
  
I wish that there had been another way to figure out this mess, but there wasn't. Ranma and I managed to get the other girls to stop chasing him, but Kuno just won't give up on me, and you and Mr. Saotome keep trying to force us to the alter. You should know that marriage should be a choice between the two in question, not the parents decision. Hm, I'm ranting. I've been doing that a lot lately. Sorry.   
  
I hope we can see you again someday, but that remains to be seen.  
  
Love, Akane.  
_  
Soun lowered the letter with a shaky hand, and looked at Nabiki and Kasumi. Nabiki looked at him, completely unconcerned, while Kasumi looked past him and out onto the early morning view.   
  
"Do you two know what this says?" Soun asked, the waterworks going in full force.  
  
"Not word for word, but yes," Nabiki answered, sipping her tea. "It was actually Kasumi's suggestion."  
  
"It was?"  
  
"Yes, Father. Akane and Ranma were very displeased with the way you and Mr. Saotome keep messing with their lives, and their relationship. Really, I'm a little surprised that they are as close as they are."  
  
"Sis, that sounded confusing."  
  
"Sorry. But I couldn't sit by and do nothing when my little sister is crying. And not over something Ranma did."  
  
"Or didn't do," Nabiki added. "But yes, Kasumi has the right of it."  
  
"You usually don't agree with anyone where Ranma and Akane are concerned, Nabiki," Soun said, the tears stopped by Kasumi's little speech. Nabiki shifted a little uncomfortably, but was saved from having to answer by someone else answering for her.  
  
"Neither do I," Ukyo said from the doorway. "But I could tell that Ran-chan was driving himself crazy trying to make Akane feel better. I may be blind, but not that blind. They are meant for each other; I was just too stupid to admit that to myself.  
  
"I can only hope that they don't stay away forever, since I have no idea, really, where they went," Ukyo finished with a wry smile.  
  
"And I won't tell you, either," Nabiki said, eyes dancing with suppressed laughter, which was completely opposite from the tone of her voice.  
  
"I wasn't going to ask you to. I'm not that stupid, Nabiki."  
  
  
  
Five years later..... A young woman, who was rather obviously pregnant, stepped off of the plane and into the Tokyo International Airport, with a little girl holding tight onto her hand. A young man with a pigtail down to just below his shoulder blades followed, a little boy held on each arm. At first, it looks like a tranquil domestic scene, family arriving for a visit or vacation or something, but when you get closer...  
  
"Daddy, Daddy, wan' go back China!" One of the boys yelled, straining back towards the airplane.   
  
"Nope, no can do, Anzu," Ranma answered, keeping a tight grip on his son. "You're gonna meet Pop, and Akane's dad, too."  
  
"Wan' 'tie Sha'poo!" The other yelled, copying his twin's movements and reaching for the plane. Ranma sighed.  
  
"Yo, Akane, trade ya?" Ranma shifted his hold on the squirming boys. Akane grinned at him, and took the two after detaching Kimiko from her hand. Kimiko immediately snagged Ranma's hand, pressing her little body against his legs. Ranma knelt, and picked her up, then stood back up and followed Akane. They finally reached the front of the airport, and Anzu and Shinji finally stopped squirming and yelling for "'tie Sha'poo." Akane looked around, then spotted Nabiki's distinctive style of dressing, and walked over to her.  
  
"Hiya, Nabiki," Akane said as Anzu tried one more time to get away. Nabiki spun around, then smiled at her.  
  
"Long time no see, Akane."  
  
"No kidding, sis." Akane answered, then whispered something to the boys.  
  
"Hi, 'tie 'Biki," they chorused, looking as cute as they could despite the fact that they had just been yelling and screaming a minute ago. Ranma stepped a little closer, and Kimiko buried her face in his shoulder, hiding.  
  
"This is Kimiko. She's really shy. Dunno why, though, 'cause the twins are really vocal and I wouldn'ta thought any kid of the tomboy's could be shy," Ranma said, earning himself a kick in the shin from Akane. He grinned at her, then yelped as Shinji grabbed his pigtail and pulled as hard as a 2 1/2 year old can. (A/N: which can be pretty hard, trust me.) Kimiko unburied her face and quickly, efficiently made Shinji let go of Ranma's hair.  
  
"Thanks, Kimi."  
  
"Welcome, Daddy," Kimiko whispered, big blue eyes blinking happily at him. Shinji clawed his way from Akane's shoulder to Ranma's free arm, then clung like a monkey to Ranma. Ranma rolled his eyes.   
  
"Why do they all think I'm a climbing toy?"  
  
"Because you're their daddy, and that's what daddies do," Akane answered, grinning at him.  
  
"It was rhetorical, 'Kane." Ranma shot back, smirking as she rolled her eyes. Nabiki giggled, and then gestured to the car, telling them without words to get in and settle down. Akane sighed and relaxed into the seat as Ranma held onto the twins for her. Kimiko sat down next to Akane, and Nabiki got into the drivers seat.  
  
"Mommy, daijobu?" Kimiko asked, her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Hai, Kimi, I'm fine. I'd just forgotten what it's like to sit down to go anywhere." Akane answered, smiling as she mussed Kimiko's hair up.  
  
"Okay," Kimiko answered, smiling a little. Akane hugged her one sidedly, her other hand resting on her big belly. Nabiki looked at her in the rear-view mirror, and smiled. The drive to the Tendo dojo was a short one, but Akane and Ranma were still a little harried when they got out of the car. Nabiki arched her brows at them, and Ranma just shook his head.  
  
"Shampoo would always take the twins out for a little spar at this time in the afternoon. I swear that Shinji and Anzu are bottomless wells of energy."  
  
Nabiki smirked. "Too much for you, Ranma?"  
  
"Nah, not really. But I got Kimi and Akane ta take care of too.. Shampoo's great with kids, by the way. She mentioned that she'd be here in a few days with Mousse and their daughter," Ranma answered, holding Akane's hand and Shinji with his other arm, while Akane held Anzu, and Kimiko just stood next to Ranma. Nabiki grinned.  
  
"Well, you can't tell yet, but I'm pregnant, and Kasumi and Tofu are expecting their second. Ukyo and Konatsu tied the knot a couple months ago, and it's too soon to tell with them. Last I heard from 'Tachi, Kodachi has a boyfriend. Ryoga and Akari are out traveling the world. I have no clue where Taro or the old pervert are, but I just hope it's not anywhere near here." Nabiki concluded. The little speech had lasted until they reached the door to the house. Ranma, not having any free hands, kicked the door open, and walked in, Kimiko walking as close to him as she could get. Shinji hung half over Ranma's shoulder, for who knows what reason, as Ranma stepped into the living room, Akane following him just a moment later.  
  
Kasumi smiled. "Welcome home, Ranma, Akane. Won't you sit down?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," Ranma said, and plopped down on the couch. He set Shinji on the floor, then snagged Anzu from Akane. "See that panda over there?" Ranma asked, pointing at Genma. "That's your grampa Saotome. Why don't you go play with him?"  
  
"'Kay, Daddy!" The chorused, and pounced Genma. Akane snickered, sitting down next to Ranma.  
  
"That was a little evil, Ranma."  
  
"I know," Ranma agreed blithely as Kimiko climbed onto his lap. "But ya gotta admit he had it comin'."  
  
"True, true," Akane conceded with a grin. "So, somebody bring us up to date about all the insanity going on here in Nerima."  
  
Laughter rang in the room, and Kasumi took it upon herself to bring the two up to the present, describing all that had happened since they'd left. She was interrupted when Tatewaki Kuno came in, saw Akane, and had to be knocked out before sense could return to his head. He apologized, and that was when Ranma and Akane learned that Nabiki was married to the "blue blunder" of Furinkan High. Which made everyone laugh, after Nabiki used her "womanly wiles" - AKA wifely powers - and Kuno shut up. Several hours later, Ranma was being used as a pillow by his wife and three kids. He smiled at the ceiling, then at the others in the room, and said one sentence.  
  
"It's good to be home."  
  
  
  
well.. not the best I've ever written.. Ranma/Akane's are harder for me to write, since I haven't watched any episodes in a while.. I know they're all probably WAY out of character (does anyone even read my A/N's? I distinctly remember saying on **What's So Funny About Fruit?** that they were all probably OOC, but even so, someone said that they were OOC.. how frickin' stupid do you people think I am?!?) but I don't particularly care. So sue me :p  
  
--Myuu 


End file.
